Photo: TikTok
He was so grateful.
By NyRee Ausler — Written on Mar 19, 2023
Parents sacrifice so much to raise healthy and happy kids. All they ask in return for their hard work and dedication is that we live the best lives possible and do the same for their precious grandchildren.
Though she could never put a price tag on her father’s limitless contributions, a woman named Nancy Preciado found a way to reward him for a very special childhood gift he had given her.
She gifted him a chain similar to one he sold so she could have a quinceañera.
In a TikTok video titled, “POV: Your dad pawned his gold necklace when you were 15 so he can throw you the best quinceañera and now you’re 25 and finally have enough [money] to buy him one similar,” she shared the moment she presented her father with the priceless present.
The video began with the curious father digging through a turquoise blue gift bag trying to locate what was hidden beneath the royal blue tissue paper. Finally, he pulled out a long, slender white box and started to open the end of it.
Though he was unsure what is in the gift box, he did notice a familiar name brand engraved on the outside and looked at his daughter, saying, “Gucci!” which prompted her to confirm that he was correct.
Eventually, he slid a black jewelry box out of the package and said, “Quinceañera, quinceañera,” with a huge smile on his face that caused his daughter to giggle uncontrollably while repeating the same word.
When he saw what she had purchased for him, the man was overcome with a flood of emotions but did his best to stay strong.
When he finally pried open the box revealing a brand-new gold necklace, the overwhelmed dad stared at his daughter wide-eyed and shocked as if he were uncertain that the gift was real. He looked around the room stunned.
The emotional man analyzed the necklace and the cross dangling from it with an obvious look of gratitude on his face. He then squeezed his eyes closed in an effort to hold back the tears that threatened to stream down his face.
Preciado rushed to her dad to give him a hug. As she approached the picture of her at the quinceañera on the wall next to him seemed perfectly placed and so suitable for the sweet moment.
Every parent deserves the chance to know that their children are genuinely grateful for what they did for them and that it all meant something.
Parents’ lives are ultra-dependent on their children’s well-being. They give up relationships, money, time, careers, goals and desires, their social lives, and their freedom, all for the sake of making their little ones a priority.
There is no way to truly pay them back, nor are you expected to, but it’s very rewarding when a mother or father can see that their kids understand and appreciate all that they did to meet their needs. That acknowledgment is the best gift any parent can ask for.
A quinceañera is a huge moment in Mexican, Latin American, and Spanish culture. It is celebrated on a girl’s 15th birthday and marks her transition from childhood into young womanhood.
With Preciado’s father giving up his prized possession to make sure his daughter’s big day was super special, it is good to see that she was able to make him feel just as important as she did.
NyRee Ausler is a writer from Seattle, Washington, and author of seven books. She covers lifestyle and entertainment and news, as well as navigating the workplace and social issues.